If hunger strikes in the evening, make an informed decision. The foods to eat and stay away from if you want to go to sleep (and stay asleep!) are discussed here by dietitians. Which foods are wise to eat in the evening and at night? Fried foods, nuts, and fruit.
Who doesn't enjoy relaxing with their feet up while enjoying some popcorn
or ice cream at the end of a long day?
While the occasional bedtime snack is acceptable, problems could arise if
you end every day with something sweet or savory. According to Kristin
Kirkpatrick, RD, a dietitian and the author of Skinny Liver: A Proven Program
to Prevent and Reverse the New Silent Epidemic — Fatty Liver Disease, snacking
later into the night increases the risk of weight gain, obesity, and
cardiometabolic diseases.
The built-in survival mechanisms of your body are to blame for the fact
that many of us are more likely to reach for unhealthy foods in the evening.
According to research, our circadian rhythms—the body's natural 24-hour
cycles—increase our appetite and cravings for foods that are sweet, salty, and
high in carbohydrates in the evening.
According to researchers, the desire to consume high-calorie foods at
night likely contributed to our ancestors' ability to survive during times of
food scarcity. However, in the modern world, late-night cravings can add extra
calories that, if ignored, can result in significant weight gain. According to
research from 2023, eating late at night may mess with our internal clocks and
may lead to higher total calorie intake and body mass index (BMI).
Kirkpatrick advises drinking a glass of water or [caffeine-free] tea as
opposed to reaching for the snack cabinet as your first line of defense to
combat these inborn cravings.
The ideal time to stop eating is two to three hours before bed. According
to Kirkpatrick, if you need a snack to lull yourself to sleep because you're
actually hungry, you probably aren't eating enough during the day. However,
Kirkpatrick advises choosing a small, low-calorie, nutrient-dense snack at this
time of day if you do feel the need to eat or have a craving for a quick snack
before bed.
Additionally, some snacks contain nutrients that may help you fall asleep
faster and stay asleep longer.
Here are 10 Worst and Best Bedtime Snacks
1. Best: Tart Cherries and Juice
Melatonin, a vital hormone for controlling sleep, can be found in tart
cherries. According to Kirkpatrick, consuming fresh tart cherry juice or eating
them increases the body's melatonin levels, making it a little easier to fall
asleep.
Adults who drank 8 ounces (oz) of concentrated tart cherry juice twice
daily for two weeks experienced longer and more restful sleep, according to a
small study.
Avoid fruit juice concentrates if you're drinking juice because they
frequently have added sugar, advises the American Heart Association (AHA). The
Cleveland Clinic advises choosing a juice that is labeled as 100 percent fruit
juice because it will have more nutrients and fewer additives than a juice
concentrate or a juice that has been sweetened. (However, even 100% fruit juice
typically contains a lot of sugar. If cherry juice is too tart for you, try
dilution with water or plain seltzer.
2. Worst: Ice Cream
According to Jonathan Valdez, RDN, CDCES, owner of Genki Nutrition in New
York City, traditional ice cream is high in unhealthy saturated fats and added
sugars, which can cause cravings that result in overeating. In addition, according to Kirkpatrick,
"the amount of sugar in ice cream increases blood sugar and makes it
harder to get to sleep and stay asleep."
3. Best: Almonds or Walnuts
Kirkpatrick claims that a small handful of nuts will allay cravings and
hunger while promoting sleep. Since nuts like walnuts and almonds naturally
contain melatonin, protein, and magnesium, they are beneficial for sleep.
Research from 2022 indicates that magnesium intake is linked to better
sleep duration and quality. According to the Cleveland Clinic, one ounce (or
about 24 nuts) of dry-roasted almonds contains 80 milligrams (mg) of magnesium,
making them a good source of the mineral. Just make sure the nuts don't have
any or very little sodium added because, according to Kirkpatrick, "salt
can disturb the sleep cycle." Additionally, limit your serving size to 1
oz to avoid consuming too many calories and fat.
4. Worst: Chocolate
Like ice cream, chocolate has a tendency to be high in sugar, making it a
poor choice for a snack before bed. Given that these bars typically contain
less sugar than milk chocolate, you might assume that dark chocolate is a good
choice for a late-afternoon snack. However, Kirkpatrick notes that chocolate
also contains caffeine, a stimulant that interferes with the body's natural
sleep cycle all night long. Furthermore, chocolate contains more caffeine when
it is darker (has a higher percentage of cacao solids).
According to U. S. According to the United States Department of
Agriculture (USDA), 1 cup of brewed coffee has about 96 mg of caffeine,
compared to 22.7 mg in 1 oz of chocolate with 70 to 85 percent cacao and 12.2
mg in 1 oz of chocolate with 45 to 59 percent cacao. Dark chocolate is still a
healthy choice for a diabetes- and heart-friendly snack, but it's best consumed
outside when the sun is still shining.
5. Best: Cereal with Minimal Sugar and Low-Fat Milk
For a one-two nutritional punch, combine a bowl of low-sugar cereal with
some low-fat milk. Low-fat milk provides the amino acid tryptophan, while
cereal with little sugar (Kirkpatrick advises looking for less than 5 g of
sugar per serving and at least 3 g of fiber) supplies the body with high-fiber
carbs to keep you satisfied. According to Kirkpatrick, tryptophan
"produces serotonin in the body, which is converted into melatonin,
inducing sleep."
6. Worst: Alcohol
Alcohol consumption right before bed may make it easier for you to fall
asleep, but it won't keep you asleep. According to Kirkpatrick, drinking before
bed actually interferes with the body's normal sleep cycle. Rapid eye movement
(REM) sleep, a stage of deep, rejuvenating sleep where vivid dreams take place,
is inhibited by alcohol.
According to the Cleveland Clinic, once alcohol is metabolized, the
initial sedative effect wears off as well, which can result in sleep
disruption. This may cause you to wake up during the night and sleep either
less deeply or for a shorter amount of time. Additionally, according to
Kirkpatrick, "[drinking alcohol before bed] can cause drowsiness the next
day, making it difficult to complete daily tasks."
7. Best: Yogurt
Melatonin, which is found in dairy products like yogurt, increases the
quality of sleep and lowers the number of awakenings, according to Valdez. According
to Sleep Doctor, yogurt contains a lot of calcium (272 mg per cup of nonfat
Greek yogurt, as reported by the USDA), a mineral that helps build bones and is
also involved in the processing of hormones that aid in sleep. (Melatonin and
tryptophan would be those hormones. Just be sure to choose plain, unsweetened
yogurt, to which you can add fresh fruit, vanilla extract, or cinnamon.
8. Worst: Potato Chips
A traditional late-night snack is potato chips. But Valdez notes that
they frequently contain a lot of unhealthy fats and empty calories. In other
words, while offering few to no nutrients, potato chips are high in calories
and saturated fats. The USDA estimates that one cup contains 140 calories, 8.8
g of fat, 1.4 g of which is saturated fat.
According to Kirkpatrick, the saltiness of chips "can make a person
even more hungry and lead to overeating." If you're not careful, you might
consume more calories than you need, which could eventually result in weight
gain. Not to mention, according to the American Heart Association, eating too
much sodium can cause high blood pressure.
9. Best: Roasted Chickpeas
According to Valdez, roasted chickpeas are a nutrient-dense, low-calorie
snack that is high in protein, fiber, vitamins, and minerals. They are
therefore a more wholesome option than salty snacks like potato chips. For
instance, a 1 oz serving of roasted chickpeas has 110 calories, 5 g of protein,
and 5 g of fiber, making it a good source of the latter. There are only three ingredients needed for this
roasted chickpea recipe from Love and Lemons: canned chickpeas, olive oil, and
sea salt (plus any additional spices you like, to taste).
10. Worst: Fried Food
French fries and other fried foods are high in fat, which takes longer to
digest than carbohydrates and proteins. When it comes to bedtime snacks, this
is a bad idea. Kirkpatrick asserts that consuming fatty, hefty foods right
before bed may divert the body's attention from falling asleep. "Fried
foods are also more likely to cause heartburn and other discomforts, making it
harder for the body to rest before bed," she adds.
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